The Ayaneo Geek Is the Closest Factor We Need to a Steam Deck Professional

Handheld gaming PCs have been round for longer than their current growth would possibly point out, even when the Steam Deck blew the doorways off of the market by making a mannequin that the common individual may truly afford. Whereas Valve could lay declare to being the “greatest worth” moveable PC with its loss-leadingly low worth, for those who’re available in the market for consolation, sheer efficiency, or the performance of getting Home windows proper out of the field, there are many extra succesful Steam Deck alternatives obtainable to these with larger budgets. It’s on this area the place Ayaneo has historically operated, providing full-fledged Home windows gaming PCs with high-performance elements and instantaneous compatibility throughout Steam and each different launcher’s full library.

Premium is sort of the course it’s important to go in for those who don’t additionally personal some sort of retailer that allows you to subsidize low value merchandise for the mass market. To fanatics, Ayaneo’s generally 4 determine units have been mouthwatering, however even a boutique producer can’t ignore the Steam Deck perpetually. Valve is now the elephant within the nook of each handheld PC producer’s room.

Launching alongside the flagship Ayaneo 2, the Ayaneo Geek (available on IndieGoGo) maintains a premium standing however is the primary of the corporate’s full energy handhelds to at the least get inside spitting distance of the Steam Deck’s worth (there’s the Ayaneo Air, but it surely’s supposed for much less demanding video games than the Deck). It options extra in frequent with the Ayaneo 2 than it doesn’t, together with its wonderful Corridor Impact joysticks and a strong AMD Ryzen 7 6800U processor. But it surely begins $150 cheaper than the Ayaneo 2, at $849. That can nonetheless set you again greater than even the costliest Steam Deck ($640). However for those who’re simply trying to spend lower than $1,000 for a real Home windows gaming PC that’s extra highly effective than the Deck and isn’t a lot larger than a Nintendo Swap OLED, it’s an amazing selection, particularly in comparison with gaming laptops. Lastly, we’ve got a “funds” boutique Steam Deck competitor. Or, if it helps to think about it this fashion, a considerably reasonably priced “Steam Deck Professional.”

A succesful AMD Ryzen 6800U handheld gaming PC

Regardless of its Nintendo Swap-like design, the Ayaneo Geek is a full-fledged gaming PC and has the specs to match. Essentially the most reasonably priced mannequin comes with 16GB of DDR5 reminiscence clocked to a fast 6,400MHz and features a 512GB NVME SSD. The SSD will be upgraded to 1TB or 2TB for an additional $150 and $250, respectively. The highest tier mannequin is presently priced at $1,199 and contains 32GB of reminiscence and a 2TB SSD, but when all you want is storage, the Geek additionally helps MicroSD playing cards for a less expensive different (albeit at a slower 300 MB/s velocity). The Geek can be obtainable with 800p or 1200p screens, even when that is barely unclear on the present IndieGoGo campaign.

As the budget counterpart to the pricier Ayaneo 2, the Geek is remarkably similar and really just feels like a slightly pared down version of the flagship model. You’re getting the same fast Ryzen 7 6800U processor, so gaming performance is the same between both models. It uses the same outstanding Hall Effect triggers and joysticks, which feel great and are immune to joystick drift. Both units have bright 7-inch touchscreen displays. Their layouts and control schemes are the same, though the Ayaneo 2 offers more customization options for the buttons and triggers. They’re nearly identical in shape, size, and weight. Both offer a 50.25 wHr battery.

There are a handful of variations, however they’re total small and really feel like truthful scale-backs for the lower cost. The most important distinction is that the Ayaneo 2 options an edge-to-edge show whereas the Geek has skinny bezels on all sides. There are different smaller variations, too. The Geek has a single gyroscope for movement aiming whereas the Ayaneo 2 has two. The Geek has a linear vibration motor as a substitute of the two’s HD motor, which Ayaneo says is an identical to the one within the Nintendo Swap. The Geek additionally ships with a PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD as a substitute of the newer PCIe 4.0 drive that comes with the Ayaneo 2, although the influence on load instances is sufficiently small that you could be not even discover. The flagship mannequin additionally comes with a full glass entrance whereas the Geek simply has a glass display screen.

There are clear high quality of life enhancements that include the costlier mannequin, however the Geek actually doesn’t really feel like a lot of a step down in any respect, particularly for those who’re evaluating it to the Steam Deck. I’ve used each extensively and essentially the most noticeable distinction is the display screen, which you rapidly get used to and gained’t discover in any respect for those who don’t have each fashions aspect by aspect. When you have the cash for the Ayaneo 2, it delivers the higher expertise over all, however the Geek is the uncommon tech buy that doesn’t really feel such as you’re making an enormous sacrifice by choosing the cheaper mannequin.

Just like the Nintendo Swap and a gaming laptop computer had a child

The Ayaneo Geek is what would occur if the Nintendo Swap and a gaming laptop computer had a child. The Geek is a contact bigger than the Swap OLED however has a really related format. The Geek adopts a way more curved design than Nintendo’s console, nonetheless. It has an ovular face and deep, curved grips that Ayaneo says are based mostly on a child’s sleeping place. The controllers are additionally non-removable, so that you’ll want to carry the Geek in your palms except you plug in peripherals and a docking station.

Regardless of the similarities to a Swap with default joycons, the Geek is much nicer to truly use. The grips are thick and contoured, tapering towards the highest to information your fingers towards the triggers. The sticks are larger, smoother, and have extra throw. The triggers have a deep, controller-like pull. The buttons are snappy and extra crisp than the Steam Deck’s. Like all handheld, every part nonetheless feels barely compressed: the best joystick particularly feels only a hair too low for even my medium-sized palms. Even so, I’d take the Ayaneo Geek over both the Swap or Steam Deck any day of the week in relation to consolation and ease of use. Even when the Geek is ever so barely heavier than the Steam Deck, at 680 grams vs the Deck’s 669.

Ayaneo has outfitted the Geek with an array of additional buttons to navigate Home windows and entry its completely different choices. There are View and Menu buttons under the D-pad on the left (mimicking an Xbox controller, and usually fulfilling the identical function as Begin and Choose on extra old-school units). Two extra further buttons are positioned under the best joystick. One will be mapped to a customized command whereas the opposite, the Aya button, will be clicked to entry a fast settings adjustment menu or held to attract up the complete AYASpace settings software program suite. There are bumpers and triggers on the highest, in addition to a pair of shoulder buttons that may be tied to customized instructions, like elevating the on-screen keyboard or Activity Supervisor.

This isn’t a full laptop computer, so I/O is proscribed. There are three USB Kind-C ports whole right here: two on prime and one on backside, and every can be utilized for energy or knowledge. There are two USB Kind-C to Kind-A adapters within the field for connecting peripherals, however you’ll want a docking station to attach the Geek to an exterior monitor for those who plan to make use of it as a full PC. There’s additionally an influence button with an built-in fingerprint reader for biometric login, a quantity rocker, headphone jack, and a MicroSD card slot for expandable storage.

Corridor Impact analog sticks and snappy buttons

Just like the Ayaneo 2, the Ayaneo Subsequent, and the Ayaneo Air earlier than it, the Ayaneo Geek makes use of Corridor Impact triggers and joysticks. Because the axiom goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it, and this design is something however damaged. Slightly than utilizing mechanical potentiometers for its triggers and joysticks, the Geek makes use of magnetic sensors to detect motion. The shortage of mechanical put on and tear all however eliminates the possibility for joystick drift and makes these inputs a few of the smoothest you’ll discover on any gaming controller. With the best software program tuning, you possibly can even customise your deadzones (the components of a joystick that your controller doesn’t learn, in order to keep away from small random actions).

Whereas the entire Geek’s inputs are smaller than what you’ll discover on a standard controller, they nonetheless really feel nearer than you would possibly count on. The added throw on the triggers and joysticks, whereas not as deep as on an Xbox or PlayStation controller, really feel a lot nearer than you would possibly count on and are noticeably deeper than on the Steam Deck. The triggers particularly really feel at house in my console-acquainted palms, but all the higher for his or her added smoothness. The sticks have a bit extra of a studying curve as a result of their decreased top and are much less correct than a full-size controller due to it. Utilizing the built-in gyro helps to fine-tune aiming; nonetheless, the Geek requires putting in an applet to allow movement controls whereas the Ayaneo 2 has them in-built from the beginning.

The face buttons are snappy and tactile. There’s no mushiness to them in any respect, which is nice for button heavy video games like platformers. The D-pad is a bit much less crisp, with a slight wiggle to the cross, but it surely labored for an informal like me, even in combating video games. Every is an enormous enchancment from the Steam Deck’s considerably mushy inputs, nonetheless, and all in all, make the Ayaneo Geek surprisingly nice to recreation on.

A vivid and colourful display screen that begs for OLED

The Geek’s 7-inch display screen is vivid and colourful. Regardless that it lacks the edge-to-edge protection of the Ayaneo 2, it nonetheless feels pretty massive due to its 16:10 side ratio. Ayaneo quotes a peak brightness of 400 nits, and I’ve found a number of instances that it’s vivid sufficient to play in direct daylight. It doesn’t help superior options like HDR help or gaming at 120Hz, however for many video games, these are non-issues. And actually, would you count on both from a handheld designed to be value pleasant?

No, and neither would you count on an OLED display screen, however the Geek begs for it. The colours are wealthy and blacks are positive, however after seeing how a lot better OLED can look on the Ayaneo Air, the Geek isn’t fairly as spectacular with out it. Distinction ranges are typical for an LCD display screen, with blacks being extra of a deep grey, however the wealthy distinction and inky blacks of the Air would have pushed this to a different degree.

The display screen helps contact enter, and it total works properly. The display screen is responsive and registers presses reliably. The most important problem is tapping on-screen parts that may simply be, properly, tiny. The Geek packs a full, desktop model of Home windows 11. Even with Home windows scaling turned on, selecting gadgets in drop down menus or navigating settings inside functions will be troublesome. AYASpace, the Geek’s configuration software program, solves this by permitting you to regulate a digital mouse cursor utilizing the joysticks. It doesn’t substitute utilizing an precise mouse, however works surprisingly properly when contact doesn’t minimize it.

The display screen is on the market in 800p or 1200p choices, but it surely’s not value paying further for the 1200p display screen, even when 800p will web you an identical decision because the less expensive Steam Deck. Whereas the added decision would possibly sound nice on paper, it has a big influence on gaming efficiency and doesn’t supply a serious benefit in visible high quality. In truth, that decision bump is principally solely seen in nonetheless pictures–bear in mind, the display screen right here is simply 7 inches. Until you’re taking part in older video games or indies, it’s higher to go away the display screen at 800p and luxuriate in the next FPS with extra responsive gameplay.

AYASpace is the Ayaneo Geek’s spine

AYASpace is the Geek’s essential configuration app and the spine to utilizing it as an precise laptop. The software program, referred to as up utilizing the devoted AYA button under the best joystick, acts as a central hub for your entire configuration choices, and you can too use it as a recreation launcher. Inside, you possibly can set your TDP (the facility restrict for the system’s processor), fan velocity, button shortcuts, and extra. It’s additionally the place you’ll go to obtain and apply firmware updates as they’re launched over time.

Tapping the AYA button additionally brings up a fast menu for whenever you need to make quick adjustments or ship frequent instructions. It means that you can change the efficiency settings, brightness, and quantity. You may assign 9 completely different shortcuts for issues like placing the system to sleep, enabling system-wide FSR upscaling, or pressure closing video games. It’s quick and dependable, and for those who occur to stop AYASpace accidentally, you’ll instantly miss it.

AYASpace remains to be in beta and it reveals. It’s improved by leaps and bounds over the past yr, however there are nonetheless tough edges, with situations of damaged English, Chinese language solely descriptions in lots of applets, and a propensity to reset itself to Chinese language with software program updates. Regardless of that, it total works properly. Should you ought to occur to seek out your self caught in Chinese language, you possibly can change your language by clicking in your profile within the prime proper nook, then clicking on the hexagon with a touch icon by means of it within the subsequent menu. The following display screen has language settings within the left-most choice of the center row.

Should you shut AYASpace down, the Geek simply doesn’t work proper. Key features just like the mouse cursor or button shorts for the on-screen keyboard cease working, and people shortcuts are the important thing to the hand held’s means to operate as a pc. With no mouse and keyboard, they permit you carry out fundamental duties like urgent the Escape key to again out of menus. Whereas it’s technically potential to run the Ayaneo with out AYASpace, I wouldn’t suggest it. It’s painful.

Neglect your work laptop computer? The Ayaneo Geek has you coated.

One of many wonderful issues in regards to the Ayaneo Geek is considered one of its most evident: this can be a real Home windows gaming PC in a handheld type issue. There’s no Linux. No compatibility layer just like the Steam Deck’s Proton. You should utilize the entire apps and instruments you’d usually use in your desktop or laptop computer with a fraction of the footprint.

And despite the fact that it’s small, The Geek is mighty. The Ryzen 7 6800U is a really quick, very succesful processor, and it’s backed by 16GB of high-speed reminiscence. The Geek has sufficient horsepower to run absolutely anything an fanatic PC consumer may need: productiveness apps, artistic apps, web sites and streaming providers: the works. It’s a high-performing little laptop.

To truly use it on this method requires some add-ons, except you need to hunt and peck your method by means of its onscreen keyboard and small display screen. You’ll want to purchase peripherals, in addition to a monitor for those who don’t have already got one. You then’ll want a docking station to attach every part and energy the system. But it surely’s potential. With the Geek, I wrote a number of articles throughout Google Docs and Microsoft Phrase, edited pictures and movies with Adobe, and even plugged in a USB mic to file some tune concepts in Reaper, my digital audio workstation.

I additionally put it to the take a look at with our suite of benchmarks. It scored 5,126 in PCMark 10, which is a stable 500 factors increased than the HP Dragonfly Folio Elite we reviewed in January. In Geekbench 5, it scored 1,341 for single-core efficiency and 6,483 for multi-core, which falls wanting most of the gaming laptops we’ve reviewed over the past yr, and is center of the pack for productiveness PCs. However given its considerably extra reasonably priced worth than lots of these notebooks, the Geek’s efficiency actually is quite spectacular.

For artistic apps, the Geek maintains its center of the street posture. In Cinebench, it scored 1,338 for single core rendering and eight,845 for multi-core, far exceeding the Dragonfly with all of its cores engaged however falling barely brief in single-core speeds. In Blender, the Geek rendered a BMW in 4 minutes and 29 seconds, placing it proper in between the Apple MacBook Pro 13 and MacBook Pro 14. With no devoted graphics card like most gaming laptops have, its processor has to tug double-duty. It’s not the quickest, however can definitely get the job achieved if you wish to use it as a full-fledged PC.

Spectacular gaming efficiency due to the AMD Ryzen 6800U

The place it actually issues—gaming—the Ayaneo Geek excels. Just like the Steam Deck, efficiency will rely in your graphics settings, decision, and the present TDP setting for the CPU. It’s a balancing act between battery life and CPU energy, however as soon as it’s dialed in (or for those who’re taking part in plugged into wall energy), it’s greater than just a little spectacular.

Regardless that it’s cheaper, the Ayaneo Geek sacrifices nothing in efficiency in comparison with the flagship Ayaneo 2. It makes use of the identical {hardware} to drive the expertise, so with an identical settings, in-game body charges needs to be nearly the identical. Any scalebacks Ayaneo utilized between the fashions are purely high quality of life and don’t influence gaming efficiency.

There are 4 completely different energy modes to select from: Energy Saving (11W), Steadiness (15W), Recreation (22W), and Professional Mode (3W – 33W). Older video games and indies can typically be performed at 11 watts and generally a lot much less. Recreation mode is the most effective match for contemporary video games, although often drops battery life to lower than two hours in my testing. Steadiness mode strikes a center floor between the 2. With just a little tweaking, I discovered that plenty of indie video games, like Tremendous Meat Boy and Disco Elysium, may very well be performed with as little as 5 to seven watts, which drastically enhances battery life. Apparently, cranking up energy settings to 33W doesn’t often supply the key efficiency enhance you would possibly count on. It often provides you lower than 10 further FPS whole and drops battery life to lower than an hour, although for those who’re taking part in plugged right into a wall outlet, it’s undoubtedly the best way to go, for peak efficiency.

I examined all kinds of video games for this evaluate and left the console in its Recreation preset to maintain issues standardized. I additionally set the video games to 800p for constant comparisons.

• Forza 5 (Excessive) – 71 FPS
• God of Struggle (Inventory Settings) – 39 FPS
• Cyberpunk 2077 (Steam Deck Preset) – 63 FPS
• Borderlands 3 (Extremely) – 32 FPS
• A Plague Story (Low, FSR 2.0, Efficiency Mode) – 31 FPS
• Rocket League (Excessive) – 133 FPS
• The Witcher 3 (Excessive, FSR 2.0, Extremely Efficiency) – 43 FPS
• Filth 5 (Medium) – 56 FPS
• Elden Ring (Low) – 51 FPS

Enjoying at 800p, the Ayaneo Geek means that you can flip up the settings on many new video games whereas nonetheless sustaining common body charges above 30 FPS. Some video games, like Elden Ring, are greatest locked to low settings for the improved responsiveness of upper body charges, however others, like Forza 5, have headroom to spare.

It’s troublesome to immediately evaluate the Steam Deck’s efficiency to the Ayaneo Geek’s, as Valve’s steady updates and plenty of community support means it’s at all times getting higher. However in our unique Steam Deck evaluate, we “simply barely breached the 30 fps threshold” in God of Struggle. The AMD Ryzen 6800U is utilizing a newer processor era than the Steam Deck’s customized AMD APU, so basically, you’re more likely to see barely improved efficiency throughout the board on the Geek.

Whereas PC gaming handhelds used to demand that video games be set to their lowest potential settings, that age is generally behind us. Nearly all of video games I examined have been capable of be pushed to medium and even excessive settings. Even when it’s important to flip issues down (it’s often greatest to customise your settings and go for a combination that appears greatest to you), parts like decrease high quality textures are much less noticeable due to the smaller display screen. Options like FidelityFX Tremendous Decision (FSR), AMD’s methodology of upscaling pictures to enhance efficiency, are additionally changing into extra frequent and help you run much more graphically demanding video games whereas nonetheless hitting playable body charges. The Geek even has a built-in FSR choice that can be utilized on many video games that don’t help it natively, although the outcomes can differ from nice to distractingly blurry.

I’ve talked about it earlier than, but it surely bears repeating once more: the Geek is ready to help any recreation that’s presently obtainable on Home windows. There’s no concern that video games will or gained’t work like there may be on the Steam Deck. There are few efficiency anomalies that pop up in the course of video games. The Darkish Footage Anthology: Man of Medan was unplayable on the Deck however good on the Geek. All of which means that you’ll have an enormous library of video games to select from on day one and instantaneous compatibility for it sooner or later, so long as the Geek can bodily run it. No ready on Valve to certify video games are playable or for builders so as to add help. It simply works.

The Ayaneo Geek has variable battery life, loud followers, disappointing audio system 

Whereas the Geek is clearly a really succesful gaming machine, its battery life is extraordinarily inconsistent. Should you’ve performed a transportable gaming PC earlier than, you’re already acquainted with simply how variable battery life will be. The 50.25 wHr battery may final 4 hours or 40 minutes relying in your present TDP setting and the way demanding the sport you’re taking part in is.

The fan can even get fairly loud. Should you play on the 22-watt gaming preset, the Geek’s fan will be distractingly noisy. It produces as a lot noise as a typical gaming laptop computer, although stops wanting “jet engine” standing. However because you maintain the Geek nearer to your face and ears, its noise is extra noticeable throughout use. Operating it in Steadiness or Energy Saving modes quiets it down, however at a noticeable lower in efficiency in demanding video games.

The fan could have you reaching for headphones, however chances are you’ll be doing that anyway due to the Geek’s disappointing audio system. They get loud sufficient to listen to properly, however films and recreation audio lack physique and sound skinny. They’ll work in a pinch, however identical to a laptop computer, I wouldn’t suggest utilizing them in case you have a pair of headphones useful.

Must you purchase the Ayaneo Geek? 

The Ayaneo Geek is a powerful handheld gaming PC, particularly in comparison in opposition to the Ayaneo 2 and the Steam Deck. Whereas Ayaneo has scaled again sure options to hit the Geek’s worth, its gaming efficiency hasn’t suffered in any respect. It’s a top-tier handheld that appears sure to impress. Should you can afford it. And that’s the rub: despite the fact that the Ayaneo Geek has so much to supply for lots lower than most of Ayaneo’s units, for that very same $849, you can purchase two Steam Decks and have cash left over for video games.

That doesn’t imply the Ayaneo Geek isn’t value contemplating. It’s smaller and extra comfy to make use of. It’s extra highly effective and performs higher in video games. Most significantly, it runs on Home windows as a substitute of Linux, so any recreation or app that runs on Home windows ought to work positive with none further tweaks vital (you possibly can run Windows on the Steam Deck, but it surely takes a bit of labor and doesn’t at all times web nice outcomes). Join it to a docking station and monitor and it could possibly grow to be a real, full-featured laptop. Due to that, it’s extra becoming to contemplate the Geek prefer it’s a uniquely designed gaming laptop computer quite than a easy recreation console, and in that gentle, $849 can truly begin to look quite affordable.

Whether or not the Ayaneo Geek is smart for you relies upon solely on how you propose to make use of it and simply how a lot you worth its consolation, optionally available upsells like that 1200p display screen, and pure gaming horsepower. It additionally is determined by how a lot you’re keen to take care of some small firm jank, as AYAspace is extra more likely to break than SteamOS. But it surely’s probably the greatest choices for getting only a bit greater than the very best finish Steam Deck will get you whereas not spending greater than a pair hundred {dollars} further.

Need extra of Gizmodo’s shopper electronics picks? Try our guides to the best phones, best laptops, best cameras, best televisions, and best tablets and eReaders. And if you wish to be taught in regards to the subsequent massive factor, see our information to everything we know about the iPhone 15.